Manchester United Online

Louis Saha joined Everton while Mikael Silvestre joined Arsenal.

Saha has been a prolific scorer when he is fit, a forward who can give you 20 goals per season.  It is a pity to see him go, but with Berbatov joining United, and Manucho getting his work permit, it can be said Saha is a surplus to requirements this season.

Silvestre, often criticized for his lack of concentration, has played reasonably well during his time at United. Despite his critics, he is one of the better left backs seen since Dennis Irwin’s departure.

Good luck Saha, and good luck Silvestre.  Thank you for your contributions to Manchester United.

Apparently, according to David Gill, Frazier Campbell is NOT FOR SALE despite joining Totttenham Hotspurs on loan.  Campbell is very highly regarded by Alex Ferguson, it was reported.

Manchester United finally signed Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham Hotspurs in a deal worth slightly over £30million, with Frazier Campbell signing for Spurs in a one-year loan deal.

Sir Alex Ferguson is delighted to have finally landed the striker after almost 2 years of trying.

Berbatov should be given the shirt number 9, vacated by Louis Saha, who has joined Everton for an undisclosed fees.

The biggest shock of the transfer news belongs to Manchester City though, who signed Robinho from Real Madrid, beating off Chelsea’s attempts to sign the forward all summer. So much for professing your love for Chelsea,  Mr $ Robinho.

Welcome to the family Berbatov, hopefully you will lighten Rooney’s and Tevez’s workload and everyone can and will play more efficiently.  Will love to see the attack comprising Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez, Ronaldo. Wondering what kind of damage they can do to the opposition.

Promising full-back Danny Simpson has joined Blackburn on a one-year loan.

It has appeared that Simpson’s chances of first team action would be limited due to the return of Gary Neville, it is a wise move for both the player and team.

Good luck Danny, show them what you’ve got!  Hope to see you back a much better player.

Its confirmed.  Chris Eagles has just signed for Burnley for an undisclosed fee.

Eagles who joined the Premiership champions at the age of 14, has failed to impress Sir Alex Ferguson enough to make himself a first team regular.

Eagles, despite figuring prominently in the recent African friendly tour, has decided his future lies elsewhere.

Good luck Chris.

Match Date: July 26 2008 - Friendly (Vodacom Challenge Trophy)

Manchester United steamrolled over Kaizer Chiefs, chalking up an impressive 4 - 0 win.  Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Tom Cleverley and Fraizer Campbell scored for the Red Devils.

Rooney showed he can play well and control his temper at the same time.  Despite being targeted several times during the game, he kept his cool and contributed to the game with his intelligent passing and positioning.  He is rewarded with a goal and has a hand on the goal scored by rookie Tom Cleverley.

Let’s see if this form continues.  Next on - Portsmouth.

Scorers: Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Tom Cleverley, Fraizer Campbell (Man U)

Wesly Sneijder, one of the many players linked to Manchester United, has claimed the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo will upset the balance of the team at Real Madrid.

Citing examples of Arjen Robben and Robinho being similar player as Ronaldo, he claims the high wages Ronnie will get at Real Madrid (if he gets transferred there, that is) will unsettle the team, creating unhappiness amongst the current team of players.

Sneijder also claims the team does not needs improvement, and only a forward is needed (to replace Ruud perhaps).

There you go Ronnie, you are not even welcome there!

Chris Eagles has been linked to a move away from the Red Devils.  Seems like Burnley is his likely destination.  It is a real pity to see him go.  He has not been given the opportunity to play much.  Eagles is quite a decent player, maybe not in the mould of Rooney, but a good squad player to have. Given opportunities to shine and a run in the first team, he should be able to develop further.

A move away from Manchester United will give him first team opportunities, but like they say, any move away from Man U is a step downwards.

Another up-and-coming player moving away, guess it is really time to stop the Academy.  Why have such a facility when you are not giving young stars opportunities to play?  Rossi, Pique (and a whole lot of others) and now Eagles.  Who next?

If the reports going around are accurate, Fergie is intending to sign only 1 player this transfer period.

If it is true, it means players like Saha, Silvestre and the likes will most likely stay for another term as a Red Devil, since selling them will make the team weaker.

Who would it be? If only one recruit is expected, it is more likely than not to be a striker.  Fergie, you need to replace the aging Neville, Scholes and Giggs.  I know Nani and Anderson has been bought, but we cannot rely on the two aging stars forever, and their legs probably cant carry them much for the coming season. I wouldnt bet my last dollar on Neville being there for the whole season too. He has been out for too long, as good as he may be, he is an aging star.

So?  A striker? A defender?  Or another Fergie ploy to trick the general public while he hunts down the next rising star?  If Ronaldo is sold (which is looking less likely as the days pass), we should have ample transfer warchest to buy another 3 - 4 players, honestly, I am looking forward to that.

Not unlike all close seasons, dozens of players are linked to Manchester United. I remembered once the official site of Man U put up a lists of rumoured transfers, and that total went over 100million pounds! Who should join Man U in order to improve the team?

We all know we are short in the right back position, possibly the left back too if Silvestre leaves us and also the striker position where I feel Rooney and Tevez were over worked last season. Saha is undoubtedly a good player, but too injury prone, or so he claims (to be injured).

There are so many strikers’ names being linked to Manchester United recently. Samuel Eto, Dimitar Berbatov, Klass-Jan Huntelaar, Roque Santa Cruz, Karim Benzema, and the list goes on.

From the looks of things, it seems Berbatov could be a possible recruit. Without a doubt, Berbatov is a quality player, but does he fit into our playing system? Is he still the same player as he was two seasons ago?

Eto hasn’t been playing very well at Barcelona has he? Injury prone for the past two seasons as well, he could well end up as another Saha.

Huntelaar? Young striker, unproven at the highest level. With due respect to the Dutch league, it is not exactly the Premiership. Defenders are the Premiership are faster, tougher and rougher. Will he make it?

I like Santa Cruz, whenever I watch Blackburn’s games last season, he almost always impress me. But I doubt Ince will sell him, not to Man U, not to Man City.

Benzema, without a doubt, is the cream of the entire crop. Young, fast, aggressive, skilful. He was hardly given the opportunity to shine at the Euro 2008 (which is a good thing, else he would have cost as much as Ronaldo!).

Amongst all those strikers linked to Man U, I would definitely like to see Santa Cruz and Benzema as Red Devils. What would be your thoughts?

By now, the whole world should have learnt about the Ronaldo saga.  Majority of the fans from all over the world seems to think that Ronaldo should be shipped off to Real Madrid.

I personally feel the same too.  No one is bigger than the club, not Ronaldo, not Fergie, not anyone.  However, I feel the top guys at Man U are doing the right thing at the moment, just tell the world Ronaldo is not for sale.

Why so?  How many times in the past few years has Man U been forced to pay exorbitant sums to clubs for players.  While I feel players like Carrick, Nani, Anderson has done well for the team, I also feel Man U has been forced to pay too much for them.  Why so? Because Man U wants them, that’s why!

If I am running the club, I would do the same, hang in there, there is no reason to sell anyway. When Real Madrid gets desperate, Ronaldo gets desperate (and throws in a transfer request), they will pay large amount of money to make the transfer go through. Great business tactics!

On Ronaldo, I am hugely disappointed about his character.  No doubt he has all the footballing talents in the world, no doubt he can strike some mean free kicks, no doubt he can cut through defences, no doubt about all that. But he has forgotten the hand who feed him when he is down.  He will probably be still dribbling his way through defences without making any impact.

Ya, Ruud, welcome him. You forgot you called him a cry baby didn’t you?  You forgot you were shipped off Man U largely due to him.  You probably will be the next to be shipped off Real soon too, just in case Ronaldo decides he doesnt like you.  Good luck mate.